CROWN POINT — A plea hearing by a 56-year-old former Illinois policeman on child molestation charges was moved to March 6.

James E. McGee, of Yorkville, Illinois, was convicted in March 2010 of three counts of child molestation on allegations he repeatedly sexually abused a female from the ages of 9 to 15 in East Chicago, according to The Times archives.

McGee was a police officer for the Robbins Police Department in Illinois at the time of his arrest. McGee was taken into custody July 31, 2009.

McGee was sentenced to 40 years prison, but the conviction was overturned in July 2015 by the Indiana Court of Appeals, according to court records. The appellate court determined that McGee, who was defended by attorney John Cantrell, was denied the effective assistance of trial counsel.

McGee was scheduled to appear again on those charges in February. A plea hearing was scheduled on Wednesday, but deputy prosecuting attorney Keith Anderson requested more time to review the plea.

McGee is now represented by defense attorney Kerry Connor. The presiding judge is Salvador Vasquez.

HAMMOND — Felony charges have been filed against five people, including 3 teenagers, after police say a teenage boy was ambushed, beaten and robbed the night of Dec. 8 at the Jean Shepherd Community Center, allegedly because he wouldn't stop texting an ex.

Charges of robbery resulting in bodily injury and battery resulting in moderate injury, both felonies, were been filed Wednesday in Lake Criminal Court against:

Marcelo Miguel Mendiola, 17, of East Chicago;

Kashon Christopher Prather, 16, of East Chicago;

Clarence Triplett Jr., 23, of East Chicago;

Julio Jose Velez, 19, of Hammond

Victoria Jessica Alvarez, 17, of Hammond

Hammond Police Lt. Steven Kellogg confirmed Thursday that the juveniles in this case have been charged as adults in Lake Criminal Court.

The victim, 17, told police two girls he knew from Morton High School texted him that night to hang out, so he picked them up in his black Mustang and they drove around town "cruising" before they asked him to drive to Jean Shepherd, court records state.

When the three arrived, the victim parked next to a blue Tahoe and let the two girls out of his Mustang. That was when Mendiola allegedly grabbed him and began choking him from behind.

Mendiola is the current boyfriend of the victim's ex, Alvarez, police said in the affidavit.

A black Toyota then pulled up and four other people attacked the victim and started to beat him, a witness said.

At one point, Mendiola allegedly had the victim in a chokehold and forced the victim to apologize to his ex, apparently for repeatedly contacting her despite being blocked on social media, records show.

The victim's iPhone 8, a Fossil chrome watch, and $60 cash were taken from him during the incident.

One of the girls who brought the victim to Jean Shepherd said she was asked to do so by the victim's ex.

She said Prather told her to stay quiet about the robbery, court records show. Triplett allegedly stomped on the victim's head and Velez took his cellphone, a witness told police.

Another girl who brought the victim there told police she was contacted on Snapchat by Alvarez because she "wanted her boyfriend (Mendiola) to talk to the victim to tell him to stop texting her," the affidavit stated.

The victim suffered a concussion, black eye and body soreness and was treated at Community Hospital in Munster.

Two of the suspects, Triplett and Velez, are listed on Lake County's Top 10 Most Wanted list for February.

MERRILLVILLE — A suspect accused of entering a car dealership armed with a knife Wednesday is dead following an officer-involved shooting at Art Hill Ford Lincoln dealership on U.S. 30, authorities have confirmed.

The 30-year-old man was identified Wednesday afternoon by the Lake County Coroner's office as Jimmy Terry, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Griffith Police Chief Greg Mance, a spokesman for the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force, said the task force is investigating the shooting that involved Merrillville police.

Merrillville police were called out at 11:38 a.m. to Art Hill Ford Lincoln, 901 W. Lincoln Highway, after receiving a 911 call that a man was armed with a knife and "chasing an employee" inside the dealership, Mance said.

As officers arrived, Mance said they received updated information from 911 dispatch that Terry had entered a dark colored Jeep, believed to be his own, in an attempt to leave the dealership. Mance said he has received some preliminary information that Terry allegedly demanded keys to a vehicle when he entered the dealership.

A traffic stop was conducted, during which Terry was shot by police, Mance said.

In an effort to preserve the integrity of the investigation, Mance declined to say what factors led to the police-involved shooting, saying there were several witnesses who are being interviewed.

Mance confirmed Terry was armed with a knife when he was shot. He was taken to Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus in Merrillville, where he was pronounced dead.

The coroner's office said Wednesday afternoon Terry died from gunshot wounds in a homicide. He was pronounced dead at 12:12 p.m. at the hospital.

Officers with the task force, the Merrillville Police Department and Lake County Sheriff's Department gathered at the scene just after noon Wednesday.

A dark-colored Laredo Jeep with a South Dakota license plate was parked in front of the dealership entrance. At least one shell casing and several other items were identified at the scene with yellow evidence markers.

Merrillville Police Chief Joe Petruch said two Merrillville officers are on paid administrative leave as the investigation continues, per department protocol.

PORTAGE — Police are warning residents not to fall victim to a phone scam from someone posing to be with the local Police Department.

"We have received several calls today from residents of Portage telling us they received a call from 209-3626 with someone claiming to be calling from the Portage Police Department," the Police Department said in a news release Wednesday.

The person on the phone reportedly told would-be victims they were conducting an investigation and the reason they were investigating is "because they lived in Portage and had a phone number with an area code from out of state," police said.

"The person on the phone asked for personal information that could have been used to commit fraud had it been given out," police said.

The people who received the phone call ended the call, then called the Portage Police Department to verify they were indeed speaking to an officer.

Police urge people not to offer up personal information over the phone.

"Scammers will pretend to be anyone to get your information," police said.